


Puella Magi Prussia Magica

by AmunetMana



Series: Hetalia Magica [2]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers, Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magika | Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Genre: Cold War setting, Dub-con elements, F/M, Historical Accuracy, M/M, Prequel (of sorts), Spoilers for Madoka Magica
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-27
Updated: 2014-10-27
Packaged: 2018-02-22 21:18:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2522117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmunetMana/pseuds/AmunetMana
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>1945, and the War ends.</p><p>Prussia faces dissolution and - by proxy - death. He will quickly learn the lengths to which he will go to preserve his own existence, and the price that must be paid for defying the laws of his world and state of being.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Puella Magi Prussia Magica

1945

 

Prussia sat sprawled out in the alleyway, not caring about the rain that poured down, lashing his face. If anything, he welcomed it. It was fitting weather considering today was all but his death day.

 

The end of Prussia. The end of him. Now the decision had been made, it was only a matter of time before he faded out of existence. He already felt tired and lost, his mind growing fuzzy around the edges as his people adopted new identities, gradually forgetting him.

 

He had brought a bottle of beer with him, to try and waste away this night, and maybe drown out any awareness he might have had of his consciousness fading away, of his very identity being dissolved...

 

In a sudden burst of rage, he flung the bottle at the wall opposite him. It shattered upon impact, spilling beer and broken glass all across the ground, the beer joining the rainwater as it ran rivulets through the earth.

 

He didn’t WANT to die, dammit! He didn’t want to fade away. No matter the brave face he’d put on at the meeting, ignoring the concerned face of his brother, the faces of Hungary and Austria, and all the others. He didn’t want their pity, and he didn’t want to die.

 

“I don’t want to disappear...” he spoke the words out loud, and tried to ignore the liquid running down his face that wasn’t rain. “I don’t want to be alone.”

 

“Then why don’t you make a contract with me?”

 

The sudden new voice had Prussia’s head shooting up from the wall, as he turned with wide-eyed shock to see a small white creature sitting only a few metres away from him.

 

It looked vaguely like a cat, but with long white ear type extensions below regular cat ears. It had pure white fur, aside from the pinks tips of its long ears, and red eyes.

 

_White hair and red eyes...now who does that sound like, eh?_

 

“What the hell are you supposed to be? And what kind of contract do you mean?” Prussia asked, too tired and depressed to be suitably shocked at the sight of the creature. “Are you one of Britain’s weird fairy friends?”

 

The creature shook its head, padding on tiny paws towards him.

 

“No, I don't know Britain or any creatures he is friends with. I am one who offers contracts. You will hunt down creatures known at witches for me, and in exchange I can grant you a wish.”

 

There was a pause, as Prussia let this since in, and the creature reiterated its final point, “I can grant you _any_ wish.”

 

“B-but...why me? Why pick me out of everyone to offer a wish?” He wasn’t drunk, he’d smashed the only bottle of alcohol he had before consuming any, but he was sure as hell starting to feel like he was drunk.

The creature seemed to pause for a moment, before “I admit, you are not the sort of person I would normally make such an offer to, but you possess unique...qualities I have never before come across in a human. Therefore I am breaking away from my usual pattern in order to offer you a contract. So tell me...”

 

The creature moved so it was standing directly in front of Prussia.

 

“In exchange for a wish, will you enter a contract with me, and gain magical powers in order to fight against witches?”

 

Prussia only took a moment to think. He was not one for thinking his decisions through, and this creature appearing here on today of all days was akin to a miracle.

 

“Yes. Yes I will.” he told the creature firmly, shifting so he was sitting on his knees, leaning towards the creature.

 

The creature’s expression never once changed, but for a second Prussia imagined its smile grew a little.

 

“Then name the wish that you would sell your soul for, and accept your new powers.”

 

Prussia took a deep breath, bracing himself for whatever came next, “I don’t want to disappear. Stop me from ever fading away, no matter whether the country Prussia disappears forever!”

 

The creature lifted a paw, and Prussia felt something warm gather in his chest, before pushing against the skin. He let out an embarrassing, gasping noise as it did so, his head being thrown back ever so slightly at the sensation. The warm feeling suddenly focused, pushing against his chest suddenly bursting free, to form a small, egg shaped silver gem, encased in gold. It pulsed, hovering in the air before him.

 

“This is your soul gem,” the creature informed him, “it is the source of your power. You must never allow it to leave your side. Now, take hold of it, and your new abilities.”

 

Caught up in the moment, Prussia could do nothing but reach out to grasp the gem tightly in his hand. The warm feeling that had previously gathered in his chest now spread across his whole body, washing over him in waves from the gem in his hands.

 

For a moment, he felt almost as if he was closing in on himself, the clothes on his body wavering in the light before fading away to be replaced with different garments. The light finally receded, and Prussia opened his eyes, not realising that they’d closed at all. He felt strangely euphoric, a tingling sensation spread all over his body.

 

“Wow, that was...” he stopped after just three words, his voice sounding completely wrong. Far too high. “What the...” he muttered, bringing a hand up to his head. It suddenly felt weighed down, and Prussia realised why as his hand slipped back, tangling into long hair that had most definitely not been there only moments before.

 

Prussia looked down, to discover his clothes had been completely changed. It was an outfit reminiscent of the uniform he’d worn years ago, a similar coat except black rather than blue. A sash made its way across his torso and beneath the coat. But the new clothes barely registered, as he stared instead at two new objects on his chest. Or rather, on her chest.

 

“What the hell is this?!” Prussia screamed, voice ripping through the octaves of the treble clef, jumping to her feet. Rather than the trousers and boots he remembered accompanying the outfit previously, she now had on white lace up boots, reaching all the way up to her upper thigh, and an almost scandalously short skirt.

 

She spun back and forth, trying to take in all the new aspects of her body, before turning to stare accusingly at the white creature that still sat before her.

 

“Don’t panic,” it said, “You only look this way whilst you are using your powers. You can return to normal quite easily.”

 

“Are you sure?” Prussia growled, “The awesome me better be able to return to normal, I cannot go around for the rest of my life looking like a chick!!”

 

The white creature seemed unconcerned with Prussia’s half rants. “Your wish is granted, by the way. Can you tell?”

 

Prussia started, as she realised the creature was right. The achiness, the empty feeling that had been slowly infecting her being, eroding her from the inside out as her country disappeared...it was gone. She wasn’t fading anymore. A smile grew on her face, threatening to split it in half within seconds. Letting out a laugh, she bent to scoop up the creature, spinning on the spot.

 

“It has!” She cried, “The awesome me isn’t going to disappear anymore!! Haha, just for that, I don’t even care if this _is_ permanent,” she nodded at her female features, “you’ve saved me. _Actually_ , _really_ saved me...” she slowed and stopped, the hugeness of what had just happened finally hitting her, still holding the creature in her arms. “...Thank you.” she said finally.

 

The creature didn’t acknowledge her thanks, instead reminding her “You still have to fight witches for me now. There’s a lot I need to explain to you about that...”

 

“Yeah yeah,” Prussia interrupted, “ I know, the awesome me hasn’t forgotten. But that can wait until tomorrow at least, ja?”

 

“...I suppose it can,” the creature relented, and Prussia grinned again.

 

“So...turning back?” she asked, feeling slightly awkward as her long hair tickled past her face, the bare flesh on her legs between where the skirt ended and the boots began cooling under the brush of wind.

 

“Just focus on returning to normal. It’s all about your own will, your magic responds naturally to your desires,” the creature told her. Prussia took in a deep breath, and squeezed her eyes shut. The tingling feeling returned, this time however it receded from her skin, and came to focus tightly in her palm. When Prussia opened his eyes again, he was once again very much male, and the soul gem was clasped tightly in his hand. He shook his head in dazed wonder. He wasn’t sure how his brain was coping with all that had happened in just one day.

 

He felt a stirring in his arms, and realised the creature was settling down in them, coiling its tail around its body as though going to sleep. Prussia grinned. He could take the creature with him easily enough. It was the least he could do after it had literally saved him from disappearing.

 

“You never told me your name,” Prussia commented, as he turned down the alley to start walking back to his house.

 

“My name? I’m Kyubey,” the creature replied, tilting its head up to him, and this time Prussia was certain it had smiled wider. “You can call me Kyubey.”

 

~

 

When Prussia reached his house he paused for a moment outside the door. It didn’t look like his Bruder was home, and he was glad. He wasn’t sure how he was going to explain any of this to him, or to anyone else. Well...he wasn’t certain he wanted to tell _anyone_ about the transforming into a girl thing, but surely everyone had felt him become a country again...but how was he going to explain that?

 

Shaking his head to clear the thoughts, he unlocked and pushed open the door. It was a little awkward trying to do so with Kyubey in his arms and his Soul Gem still clenched in his fist. Gazing at it, he started to reminisce the feeling of the transformation, the warmth of the magic washing over him...it was no wonder England liked magic, if it felt anything like that.

Then the memories of the end result came to him, and the complete weirdness of being a girl. Prussia realised that because of the panic he had felt after the transformation, followed by his ecstasy at no longer being in danger of dying, he had never really gotten a good look at his transformed self. Pausing only a moment, he dashed eagerly up the stairs and into his room, kicking the door almost shut behind him.

 

He deposited Kyubey on his bed, who moved only to curl up properly and slid his eyes shut again. Prussia stood at his full height before the mirror, breathing deeply, and feeling slightly ridiculous as he held out his soul gem before him, and focused on transforming once again.

 

Sure enough, the gem melted away from his palm, surrounding his body with the same tingling, airy feeling. Then it was gone, and Prussia was left looking at a girl in the mirror. A girl with long, silver white hair pouring down to the backs of her knees. A girl with a delicate face, and mischievous red eyes. A petite figure, clothes in a mock military outfit of his past, a cravat tied neatly at her throat, a black miniskirt and white, lace up boots that encased and showed off her shapely legs.

 

On her right hand, a silver gemstone glittered on a ring, reflecting the light as Prussia admired herself in front of the mirror.

 

 _Damn_ , Prussia couldn’t help but think, grinning as she turned this way and that to admire her new look. _I’m a complete babe_! She giggled slightly as she spun from side to side, admiring various features of her new appearance, and getting really quite silly striking different poses when there was a sudden slamming noise, and she stopped dead as she realised it was the front door.

 

Shit.

 

Her Bruder was home.

 

She panicked, trying to remember desperately how to undo the transformation. As she spun on the spot, waiting for a solution to throw itself at her, her coat flared out, and Prussia jumped and gave a squeak as two swords slid out from beneath it, embedding themselves in the floor. She stared at them, stunned.

 

...Ok then. This probably came under the things Kyubey still needed to tell her.

 

But her Bruder’s footsteps were on the stairs now, and Prussia’s eyes widened in alarm, before squeezing shut as she desperately tried to turn back. “Come on, come on, come on!!” she whispered frantically. “No way can he see the awesome me like this!!”

 

Germany had noticed nothing out of the ordinary as he entered the house, and started to make his way upstairs. He had become slightly worried at the sound of thudding as he neared his Bruder’s room, and was just opening the door when,

 

“THE AWESOME ME WASN’T DOING ANYTHING, I SWEAR.”

 

His Bruder stood there, wide eyed, looking for all the world like a small child caught with their hand in the cookie jar. Germany paused, before deciding whatever it was Prussia had done, he didn’t want to know. Then he noticed two holes in the floor by Prussia’s feet and let out a sigh. He really, really didn’t want to know.

 

“Whatever, I don’t want to know. But Bruder, there is something important I need to discuss with you!” Germany spoke quickly, eager to get his news out as soon as possible. Prussia’s face was suspiciously innocent, but Germany was so caught up in what he had to say, that it barely registered. “You have become East Germany!” Germany told his older brother, “You’re not Prussia anymore, but you’re still half a country, just like Italy and Romano. You’re not going to disappear Bruder!”

 

All the colour seemed to have drained from Prussia’s face. East...Germany? Was that how Kyubey had granted his wish? He glanced out of the corner of his eye at the creature still sleeping on his bed. Well, it looked like he was sleeping...Prussia didn’t know whether he believed that the creature was really unconscious.

 

“Bruder?” Germany enquired hesitantly, looking at Prussia’s shocked face. It quickly melted into a grin however, although some of the tension refused to leave his face.

 

“Hah, that’s amazing West! West...kesese, that nickname just became a hell of a lot more appropriate huh? Wow, East Germany...that’s going to take some getting used to!”

 

“You can get used to it whilst at my place, da?”

Both parts of Germany froze at the sound of the third voice. Prussia’s smile dropped again, as he looked up to see the hulking figure of Russia in the door. What the hell was he doing here, Prussia wondered, looking over to Germany for an explanation. West’s face was surprisingly - and scarily - guilty.

“Russia...” West started, not meeting either his Bruder or Russia’s eyes, “I haven’t told him yet. I thought...it could at least wait until tomorrow...”

 

“Nyet, I do not wish to be kept waiting. And doesn’t your dear brother deserve to be told of his fate?” The smile never left Russia’s face, as he turned to shine it on Prussia, who stared back with confused eyes. It became uncomfortable after only a few seconds, and Prussia tore his gaze away to stare at Germany, whose head was hung in shame.

 

“Bruder?” he asked, scarily quiet. “What does Russia mean? Why would I be going to his place?”

 

“...The allies...divided up Germany,” he Bruder stated quietly. “West Germany will be governed in three parts, by England, America and France. And…and East Germany...”

 

“Goes to me. And since you’re East Germany, that means you have to come with me now!” Russia butted in, and Prussia glared at him forcefully, reflexively taking a step back as Russia strode towards him, and before he knew what was happening the larger country had him hoisted over one shoulder, and being taken from the house he shared with Germany.

 

“Nein, NEIN!!” Prussia screamed, beating his hands against Russia’s back, clawing at him through the thick coat ineffectually. Germany had come running after them too, although he did not attack Russia as his brother was, instead calling and yelling. When it became obvious Russia would not stop or let go, Prussia instead started yelling to his brother, he promised he’d come back, Russia wouldn’t keep him forever, when he was suddenly silenced by the sight of Kyubey behind Germany, padding down the stairs of the house before running out until he was only a few paces behind Russia.

 

 _Don’t worry, they can’t see me._ Kyubey’s voice suddenly echoed in Prussia’s mind and he stiffened, before growing angry again.

 

‘ _They can’t see you’? I’m being ripped away from my Bruder and my home, and you think I care if they can fucking see you?_ He screamed in his mind, careful not to start screaming out loud at the small creature. _Was this you? Did you orchestrate this whole thing?!_ Kyubey’s expression never changed, neither did his pace as he followed along behind the two nations.

 

 _All I did was to grant your wish_ the creature stated patiently. _Any side effects or consequences that might have had are beyond my control. You should have been more specific with you wish if you were just going to complain afterwards._

Reluctantly listening to Kyubey’s words, Prussia forced himself to go limp over Russia’s shoulder, taking deep breaths to try and calm himself. He could feel Russia chuckling at his sudden loss of anger, and he almost felt like starting up his kicking and screaming again. Looking down, Prussia realised his soul gem was still clutched tightly in his hand. He jolted slightly as he realised the gem had grown alarmingly dull, going from a pearly silver-white colour to a dull grey in just the time between transforming in his room to where he was now, still over Russia’s shoulder, his abdomen starting to ache from the jutting shoulder it was resting on.

 _Hey Kyubey, what’s up with this thing?_ He waved the soul gem at Kyubey, trying not to alert Russia to his actions.

 

Kyubey’s tail twitched from side to side, _that is what happens when you use magic, such as when you transform or summon and use your weapons, as you did in your room._

 

Oh...that would be the swords then. Kyubey continued to talk; _this is why you must fight witches. They produce things called grief seeds, which can be used to cleanse the darkness from your soul gem. If you let it get too cloudy, your magic will decrease, and you will suffer for it._

 

Prussia shivered at the creature’s words, his hand curling around his soul gem tightly as he felt Russia come to a stop. Twisting awkwardly, Prussia could just about see a house behind him, in front of Russia, and he heard the door as it creaked open.

 

“O-Oh, Mr Russia! You’re back! A-and you’ve brought...”

 

“East Germany!” Russia exclaimed, cutting across the trembling voice of whoever had answered the door. Prussia narrowed his eyes in concentration, the voice was familiar. Someone from his childhood. His thoughts were interrupted as they passed through the door, and he was deposited unceremoniously onto the floor with an oof. Prussia cursed loudly, reaching behind to rub the spot where he’d landed on the hard floor, and subtly slipping his soul gem into a pocket at the same time. The last thing he wanted was questions being asked about it.

 

~

 

Hours later, Prussia lay in his narrow bed, twisted onto his side and gazing at the ever so slightly clouded gem. Glancing suspiciously at the door, Prussia rolled himself out of bed, and clutched the gem tightly to his chest, eyes slipping shut. In the terrible, cold surroundings, the warmth and already familiar feeling of the magic rushing over him was a comfort and it was easy in her new form to snap open a window, and slip unnoticed from the window. Prussia found that she was far lighter and more agile in her alternate form, darting silently and ever more inhumanely through the air and away from Russia’s house.

 

She would have to return, she knew. The risk of Russia doing something to her Bruder in retaliation for disappearance was more than Prussia could bear to think about. But as she whipped through the air, all but dancing across the rooftops, she couldn’t help but think her wish of continued existence, even if that existence was under Russia’s control and away from her Bruder, if she could still have moment like this it might just be worth it.

 

Kyubey had at some point appeared beside her and she paused, allowing the creature to climbs up her body to rest around her neck like some very strange scarf.

 

“So,” Prussia said stonily, having not forgiven the creature yet, “the rest of it. The rest of being a Puella Magi. I want an explanation now. Starting with...” she gave a spin and as before, twin swords, rapiers, slid from beneath her coat, sticking into the ground. This time she didn’t jump in surprise at their appearance, instead reached out to firmly grab them by the handles, pulling the out of the ground. She gave them an experimental swing, noting that they were perfectly weighted, acting almost like an extension of her arms. It was as if they had been made perfectly with her in mind.

 

“I would have thought that the purpose of these was quite obvious,” Kyubey commented, looking down at the blades as Prussia took one in each hand, admiring the fine engraving along the dull edge of the blades.

 

“...Yes. You want me to go fighting monsters or something, right?” Prussia asked, returning to focus on the situation. Fighting was fine, fighting she could deal with. Fighting was familiar; fighting was, laughably, safe.

 

“Yes! Although they are not called monsters, but witches. Your soul gem glows when you gain close proximity to them. From there, it’s easy! At least, for one so accustomed to war it will be.” Kyubey’s tail twitched beside Prussia’s cheek, and she flinches slightly at the feel of it against her cheek. “...There will be many in this city. It will not be hard for you to find them, and then when you defeat them, you can gain the rewards of the fight and cleans your gem!”

 

“So...go looking for trouble, win, get more powerful afterwards?” Prussia’s lips spread into a grim smile, body smoothly transitioning into a fighting stance. “Story of my life.”

 

Maybe she would find a way to live like this.

 

~

 

1955

 

Hungary had come to Russia's house in 1949, three small years after Prussia had been dragged there. Prussia wondered briefly why he had been snatched up so swiftly whilst the other had come in so much more slowly, but he was so quickly distracted by the proud look still in Hungary's eyes, the near haughty way in which she held herself in the house, and refused to let anyone pull her down. Prussia wondered if he could love her even more for it. Over the years he had fallen into a routine. Not easy, but cathartic. He spent his days lurking around the house, avoiding Russia and letting his feelings curdle and rot inside him, and at night he took to the streets, searching for witches and releasing every ounce of his anger upon them.

 

Sometimes he even encountered human girls who had made contracts- only girls, never boys like him who changed only when transformed. Occasionally the worked together, more often they fought. But in every case the girls disappeared in the end, and Prussia fought ever more furiously against the witches they had surely lost their lives to.

 

It hadn't actually occurred to Prussia to wonder why Russia had wanted him until late into his life with the nation. Their history had hardly been easy, hardly been civil. But if they ever crossed paths, there were smiles and touches from the Russian as Prussia passed; a beam so wide it made the corner of his eyes crinkle, a brush of a hand against Prussia's shoulder or hand. It took a lot not to flinch. The touch of his enemy was not something Prussia wanted. And even if they weren't enemies, Prussia pondered, he still wouldn't. There was only one nation he wished the affections of, and she had always been far beyond his reach.

 

~

 

“Prussia...if you had a wish, what would you wish for?”

 

The question was so abrupt, and hit on so many concealed nerves that Prussia had choked, and spewed out his mouthful of water before he had even fully comprehended what had happened. Hungary looked at him, aghast, from the seat next to his own. “That is disgusting and you are undeserving of water,” she told him, voice bleak.

 

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Prussia instead asked, staring at her with equal bleakness, rubbing his wet chin off furiously with his sleeve. Hungary blinked for a moment, before she remembered her own question, and became even more subdued, her hands folding delicately in her lap.

 

Uh oh. Not a good sign. There was only one person she could be thinking of if the mere imagining of them could make her act so reserved. “It was just a question,” she asked, tone slightly clipped. “I just wondered what you would do, if you could have any one wish in the world.”

 

“...Probably wish for some better food that this,” Prussia lied through his teeth, poking at the beetroot on his plate dismally. Hungary rolled her eyes, slipping down from her seat and moving to leave the room.

“If you didn’t want to give a serious answer, you could have just said so,” she called back, before disappearing upstairs. Prussia stared after her long after her footsteps had faded, dropping his fork in the abandoned food. He pulled out the innocent looking ring from within his shirt. ...No. She wouldn't, would she?

 

_Would she?_

 

Days later, and a glimpse of vibrant green and pink caught from the shadows, and Prussia’s world turned upside down. Turns out she would, Prussia thought numbly. And when it was announced worldwide that Austria was to remain neutral in the Cold War, Hungary reacting with only a smile and a fond look, Prussia’s loathing for the musician rose to a crescendo. Although in retrospect, as she sliced through witch after witch, leaving his human companion terrified by her viciousness, there was no one she hated more than herself. For letting Hungary take on such a burden to herself, when she still had a people, still had a true and thriving country. Day after day, Prussia felt less and less connected. There was a nagging in her mind, something she was missing, something she couldn’t place - but she refused to think on it. She’d made her wish, she would survive on. No matter what that meant in the end.

 

~

 

Prussia could only stare in wide-eyed horror at the soul gem as it cracked, pulsed, and erupted from the girl’s hand, filling the alleyway they were in until it no longer resembled an alleyway. Instead the tendrils had become a new barrier and Prussia watched with disbelieving horror at the form of the witch, still emerging from the soul gem, now blackened and crumpled- _as much as Prussia didn’t want to acknowledge that it was a grief seed, that’s what it was, there was no doubt_ \- to hover over the now lifeless body of the girl she had been working with for weeks now.

 

A witch. Her soul gem had turned into a grief seed, and had produced a witch.

 

Oh Gott.

 

Prussia reacted on autopilot, just as he had done so many times on battlefields in years long gone by, dashing forward to slice her way through the body of the creature, before it had even finished forming - another strike upward to slice it through the head, a downward slash to sever its connection to the grief seed. The witch never stood a chance. It crumpled easily, newly born and freshly slaughtered, and Prussia was breathing heavily as she reached down to grab the grief seed with one trembling hand, the other reaching out to grasp onto the body of the former Puella Magi. She knew what happened when bodies were left in barriers. They vanished. This girl deserved more than that.

 

The barrier was fading as Prussia walked through it, steps heavy and awkward in her heeled boots. Normally Prussia was loud and boisterous as she tore through witches, letting loose wild battle cries and whoops as she swung her swords around almost carelessly. In the time since watching her former partner become a witch, she had not uttered a single sound.

 

The barrier finally disappeared fully, and Prussia sunk to her knees, laying the body against the wall near the exit of the alleyway, where it was sure to be found. At least this way her family would know and she’d get a burial. The half country opted instead to wander back down the alley she had come from, thoughts racing through her mind- but at the same time altogether halted so there was nothing but numbness there.

 

“Oh dear. You saw it, didn’t you? What happens when you don’t cleanse your soul gem.”

 

Prussia spun to face Kyubey, just appeared and sitting on a bin lid as if he didn’t have a care in the whole fucking world.

 

“I was surprised,” the created said in a chipper tone, “most girls who see it react so badly. They either lose the will to fight, or get so distraught they become witches themselves only moments later. But you,” Kyubey’s head titled, “kept fighting.”

 

“That’s our fate?” Prussia returned, deadly quiet, ignoring everything Kyubey had said. “That’s what’s going to happen to every Puella Magi? What’s going to happen to me? To _Hungary_?!” she did not raise her voice even the slightest, but the fury was building up in her eyes, burning blood red and fiery.

 

“Yes, you will all eventually become witches. Unless you are killed beforehand, you will all eventually succumb to despair, allowing your soul gems to cloud and evolve into grief seeds.  Even you.”

 

“Even though my wish...was to continue existing...I’ll still...” Prussia’s words were halting.

 

“You wished to continue existing. Becoming a witch is still existing. Your wish doesn’t protect you from your fate.” that Goddamned smile was still in place. “Who knows? Maybe the reason you’ve lasted this long is because of your wish. You refused to fade out of existence; maybe it’s charmed your life so you cannot die at all. I wonder...” Prussia’s breathing became laboured as Kyubey continued, “if you were to become a witch, would your wish still protect you from death? You could become an undefeatable witch!”

 

Prussia grit her teeth, something snapping in her mind as she lunged forward, snarling as she brought her sword down on Kyubey’s head, hacking and smashing at the body until it could no longer be called white, with the blood that covered it completely. She didn’t stop even after it was clearly dead, just hacking away at it, tears streaming down her face, screaming and sobbing incoherently at it. Eventually she finished, arm swinging down to hang loosely at her side, sword barely staying in her grip. Tears were streaming down her cheeks, sobbing noises coming out at random intervals.

 

“Now really...what good was that supposed to do?”

 

Prussia couldn’t even bring herself to react as Kyubey strolled past her, jumping up onto the bin and devouring what had been his body only moments before.

 

“On the subject of the unbeatable witch...it is said that someday a witch will appear, by the name of Walpurgisnacht. It is said to be the strongest witch in existence, which no magic girl can hope to overcome alone.” Kyubey finished consuming his own corpse, looking up at Prussia’s lax form. “Will that be your fate?”

 

Prussia was silent for what seemed like forever, before lifting her head, anew determination burning in her eyes. “No,” she said firmly. “That will not be my fate. I won’t allow it to be my fate.” she glared at Kyubey, hate and determination shining grimly in red eyes. “I will defeat all the witches. I will not allow you to form any new contracts, or let any other magic girls fight.” she glanced down at her soul gem. “You told me it is using magic that makes them cloud...and I have seen for myself that the darkness accumulated in our soul gems is what leads us to become wi-witches. So I won’t let the others fight, or cloud their soul gems.” closing her eyes, the image of a tall woman, flowing brown hair and a vibrant green dress appeared in her mind. “I will not allow any of them to fight, or to suffer,” she stated firmly, clutching her sword tightly. “I will bear the burden of this fate alone!”

 

With that final declaration, Prussia spun on her heel, striding out of the alleyway, back to Russia’s house. But unlike all the times she had previously returned, steps growing heavier with every second she grew closer, this time she had a new resolution, that kept her going strongly. For the first time since becoming half a country, Prussia had a real goal, a purpose. She would defeat all the witches. She would stop Hungary; stop all the other girls from having to fight. That was her resolution.

 

~

 

Russia was still awake when Prussia burst into his room without even knocking. Russia was frowning, about to reprimand him, when he saw the albino’s tear streaked face, his red eyes wide and haunted.

 

“East?” Russia queried, confusion and worry bubbling. Prussia’s fingers were clutching the doorframe, as though he would collapse without it. Russia rose from his seat, stepping forward, arms outstretched to support Prussia. To his surprise, and inappropriate delight, Prussia let go of the door and all but fell into Russia’s arms, still trembling and clinging for dear life to the northern nation.

 

Resolution was all very well and good, it would seem, but it still did little to calm one who, by his very existence, seemed to have brought about a wall of suffering even greater than the one holding him had. Of course, Russia had no way of knowing any of this, and could fathom nothing out of red irised eyes, even more red from the tears that still spilt out of them in shameful rivulets.

 

"I...I just..." Prussia tried to start, but it was too much as a sob in his throat prevented any more words. Russia shifted his hold in order to place a large hand on the albino's back, rubbing soothing circles against it.

 

"Tell me, East," Russia commanded, voice low and calming. "Tell me what it is that is wrong. Let me help you."

 

A hiccup was his only response, as Prussia's grip tightened, to the extent where Russia wondered if he would succeed in ripping his coat.

 

"I...can't tell you. This isn't something you can help with. Just..." Eyes were lifted once again to meet his, "please, Russia. Help me forget. Do whatever you want to me, just, for tonight...don't let me remember a thing."

 

Prussia hadn't pleaded for anything before. Not even when Russia had first taken him away. Not when Hungary had become a soviet state. Russia's lips pursed in displeasure at the thought that out there, somewhere, was something with the power to reduce Prussia to this. He wanted nothing more than to hunt it down, to destroy it. But he had a feeling that doing so would not help at this moment, with Prussia clinging to him and still crying as Russia had never seen him do before. So, instead, Russia gently led him over to the bed, laying him down on it.

 

"Very well," Russia agreed, before lowering his lips onto Prussia's.

 

~

 

Hungary was in a good mood the next morning, or as good as one could be in Russia's house. She needn't be there really; she was only a satellite state, supposedly, not a true part of the Soviet Union. But, Prussia was here, and Hungary didn't want to leave him alone. Despite all their past arguments and scrapes, Prussia was indeed a friend of hers. She wanted to help protect him, and spending her wish specifically on Austria's did nothing to lessen that desire. If anything, it intensified it, she mused. She had done the greatest thing to help her once-beloved Austria. Now she had power, and she would use it to help Prussia.

 

So when Prussia finally descended from upstairs, Hungary turning to greet him, it had even with horror that she saw him not alone, as expected, but with a smiling Russia by his side, an arm hooked around the smaller nation's waist. And, Hungary didn't know if he realised or even cared, but Prussia's shirt did very little to hide the dark marks at his throat.

 

"Whatever is the matter, Hungary?" Russia asked, still smiling, and Hungary wanted to rip the expression from his face, "you look as though you have seen a ghost!" And finally, but not without one last squeeze around Prussia's waist, Russia finally left the two of them alone, departing into another room. Prussia stared after him, and Hungary's eyes never left his face, taking in his expression, something half shell shocked, half...half something she couldn't even place.

 

"Prussia? Prussia what has he done to you?" She asked frantically, stepping forward to grip him by the arms, before moving to cup his ace, turning it so he faced her. "Please, tell me. Let me help you. Do you need me to do something to him?" She asked, words spilling from her mouth without control. "I can, Prussia, I can and I would, for you. I have the power. Just tell me and I will _destroy_ him for you-"

 

Prussia's hands suddenly moved, his hands coming up and covering Hungary's completely. And without warning he leant forward, and placed a kiss on her forehead. The female nation was left stunned, and more than a little frightened.

 

"Prussia...?" She questioned, weaker this time. Prussia only gave a tired smile, moving to rub his thumb against her cheek.

 

"Don't you worry about me," he told her, firmly. "I...for the first time in a long time, it seems...I have a plan. And I promise, everything will be ok." With that, he released his hold on her and left the room, not following after Russia but entering a room alone. Hungary watch him go, the spot on her forehead seeming to burn deep in her skin where he had kissed her. And suddenly, despite her thoughts from just moments ago, she wondered why it suddenly felt as though she were the one being protected by Prussia, and not the other way around.

 

~

 

1989

 

Prussia threw himself in witch hunting far more furiously than ever before, his goal repeating like a mantra in his head every time he left at night to fight. He stopped teaming up altogether, not wishing to see anyone else become a witch, or to cause any more wasted magical energy when he knew that more often than not his own would suffice. As he fought, he found himself uncovering more abilities that he had not known he possessed. Shields was one he discovered early, and quite by accident as an instinctively formed one had saved him from being impaled by a lance-wielding witch that looked like it had charged straight out of a medieval fairy tale of knights and princesses.

 

Another was binding magic, streaming ribbons in silver and red that could encircle and restrict an enemy in seconds.

 

A sour thought had occurred to Prussia as he unearthed these abilities. He had at first assumed they were something unique to him, perhaps a part of his wish as Kyubey had suggested when the albino had let him come close again without the risk of being stabbed again, but he wondered now if it was actually a result of simply surviving for long enough to discover them.

 

He had, after all, been a Puella Magi for almost 45 years now.

 

He hadn't seen another of his kind, bar Hungary, survive from their teens into their thirties.

 

Maybe for the nations, there was a balance of feeling between their own personal reserves and the feelings of their people, he wondered. As long as their was at least a little hope in the hearts of their people it could help hold back the blackening of the soul gem until the nation was completely lost, pushed over the brink by something not even their people could help.

 

He had been terrified for Hungary when, after only a year of becoming a Puella magi, a revolution had been attempted in her country. The subsequent brutal crushing of it by the Soviet Union had left her shaking on the floor, gem getting darker and darker by the minute. He had been forced to act then as she collapsed completely onto the floor, his only spare grief seed tumbling from his fingers as he fumbled with it, pressing it to the gem desperately, forcefully, as if clashing them together could speed her saving.

 

For a single, hideous moment they had been inactive beside each other, the grief seed unresponsive and Hungary’s gem frozen and dark. Then, like a miracle blooming within it, red-pink petals of light unfurled within Hungary’s gem as the darkness seeped away into the grief seed. Her eyelids fluttered, and for a moment Prussia knew he didn’t even care if she discovered his secret. So long as she was alive, so long as she never became a witch, it was fine. He could do anything for her.

 

Just as he had sworn to protect his kind and fight harder than ever before, however, his attention became even more restricted. More often than note, Russia stuck by Prussia’s side, as the evening drew in, through the night and into the mornings. It became even more of a blessing when Russia’s boss wanted him. Although...Prussia couldn’t say he minded what Russia did; only that it took up time. Russia was still a welcome distraction from the buzzing noises in his head, a similar buzz to the beating blood in his ears that occurred as he battled witches.

 

But then, Russia became busier and busier, and Prussia had more and more time to fight witches, to watch them being born, and to feel the drag of emptiness within him as Germany – not East, not West, but a whole, united Germany – bayed for blood and the tumbling of stone.

 

 _“_ _Stop me from ever fading away, no matter whether the country Prussia disappears forever.”_

 

~

 

August, 1989

 

Prussia wondered, as thousands of Germans poured out of the country through her own, if Hungary knew she was slowly killing East Germany.

 

~

 

November, 1989

 

Prussia watched, expression blank, as the people flocked to the wall, the shouts echoing through the air. West, he was sure, could feel it. Could feel the knitting in his bones, the reuniting of what hadn't been whole for so many years. All Prussia could feel was the gaze of Russia on his back, watching his every move. His reaction to the crumbling sight outside.

 

"So now they'll all find out." Prussia said numbly, staring at the window at the wall as it was torn down, swarming with people from both sides, Germans ripping into it as they reunited their land.

 

"East?" Russia questioned from behind him, and Prussia gave a derisive laugh, arms tightening around his middle.

 

"I'm not East. I never was. You know that as much as I do." Prussia told him, tone wooden. "I admit I didn't realise at first, I...well, everyone was saying I was East so I believed it. But that's not true. I became part of you. I became Ka-Kaliningrad. Didn't I." And how he hated himself for stumbling over the name, which he had sworn to himself he'd come to terms with. All the maps he'd checked, the feelings he had searched for, the pull of his soul and the pull of the land. The way that, without any love for Russia, he never felt more complete than when they were moulded together in bed, wrapped in each other's arms.

 

With every tight grip around his soul gem, allowing it to cut into his palm, his nails making their crescent patterns, he told himself this was just the cost. This was his wish and he must live with it.

 

Russia said nothing, remaining in the doorway. That in itself was strange; Russia never missed the opportunity to approach him, to touch him with a hand on his shoulder, or around his waist if no one else was there to see. Prussia didn't know whether to be thankful on not for that. A part of him was craving any kind of contact, even from the one he was bound to like so, but the other part of him screamed for him to get away from his owner. But still, a word, a noise, anything to provoke a reaction could spill from Russia's mouth and Prussia felt he would be grateful for it if only as a means to cease his own words.

 

But still Russia stayed distant and silent, and so the words continued to spill out of Prussia, as though a dam had broken somewhere in his mind, "I mean, it'll be obvious!" He cried, and teas were escaping from his eyes, "West will be there, he'll be looking for me, he'll want me back with him, because Berlin is united! And I-" a sob ripped his words apart, "I'll still be here, trapped with you because hey, guess what Bruder, _I'm even more one with Russia than you or any of the others ever feared to believe."_

 

"But if you do go to him, he will never know?"

 

Prussia spun around; eyes fixed on the giant in the doorway, wide in a sickly pale, shaken face. "What?" He croaked out, stumbling in his spot, arms shooting out to grip the window, leaving him just as prone as the night he had first stumbled into Russia's arms.

 

"If you go to your brother now, as the wall falls, he will continue to believe you East and will never know of Kaliningrad." Russia whispered, stepping forward as he had that night and all but cradling the white haired nation as Prussia fell against him, more than a little easily.

 

"But...your boss, I...I _belong_ to you, he won't allow me to-" Prussia's words were cut off by dry lips covering his own, for no more than a second.

 

"I am a monster, Prussia." Russia told him solemnly, and tears were leaking from his own eyes as he used the albino's once and preferred name, "from my own nature and because my government, my rulers, force me to be so again and again. But in this, at least, let me do something good for you. You, more than anyone, I wish to know even a little that even for a nation like me, there can still be some goodness," Russia begged him, and Prussia's face scrunched up with further tears, as he pulled down Russia's head for another kiss, long and sweet and soft.

 

It was a goodbye.

 

And with his goodbye acted out, Prussia slipped far too easily from Russia's too loose grip and out of the door, the thudding of feet not stopping until the slamming open of the door.

 

Russia remained in Prussia's room, and stared out of the window. With a sudden burst of clarity he saw it, the white streak that scaled the wall with inhuman speed, and the strong arms that reached down to him as he topped it, pulling him up the final distance and into a hug. And Russia wondered if, somehow, finally, he had managed to do something truly worthwhile.

 

Prussia could barely spare a thought for the larger nation he was leaving as he ran for the wall, West finding East instinctively, brother finding each other even more easily, as they collided into each other’s arms. His stupidly tall brother, Prussia laughed. He was free. Free from that house, free from Russia, free from -

 

Cold metal brushed against his skin, pressed there between his chest and West’s, and Prussia’s eyes flew open. Sat atop one of the remaining parts of the wall, a small white creature stared down. Its expression never changed, but Prussia could have sworn there was disappointment in its gaze. No despair for Prussia on that day of unification. And yet… Prussia pulled back, sucking in a breath, too sharp, too much too fast as he stumbled back. Strong hands came to grip his arms, and when he looked up, there was a flash of not-quite-entirely relief as he realised it was not Russia’s arms coming to hold him anymore.

 

He’d gained so much, but somehow along the road, he’d lost so much more.

 

_Freedom._

 

Prussia buried his face once again in West’s chest, and this time he couldn’t stop the tears that fell from blood red eyes. The ring dangled from the chain beside his cross, innocent and shiny in the sunlight.

 

_What a lie._


End file.
